Effects Of Human Activities Affecting Earth's Climate

Our average temperature has increased by 1.5 degrees fahrenheit compared to a century ago! Although this may not seem like much, its effects are detrimental to living organisms on the long run. The changes on our planet are affecting everyone, whether that be humans or animals. It is a slow poison and slowly our earth will become a planet with an uninhabitable environment. Human activities are affecting Earth’s climate negatively, which can be seen through the many signs of evidence on the planet; but these changes can be reversed.

Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and raising cattle for beef are causing global climate change. Humans are very dependent on fossil fuels, such as- coal, oil, and natural gas- to produce

Many species are at a threat of going extinct, due to fast environmental changes and habitat loss. Due to deforestation taking place in Indonesia, the orangutans are going through fast environmental changes and habitat loss. Animals have always been going extinct, but in the past century numbers have increased rapidly. It is important to protect species who have a big threat of going extinct. Another change that is occurring is that the sea levels are rising. Due to the glaciers and polar ice caps melting, sea levels are rising causing coastal communities to be under water. Thermal expansion has also caused sea levels to rise. When water heats up, it expands. About half of the past century 's rise in sea levels is attributable to warmer oceans simply occupying more space. Floods and droughts occurring unexpectedly at unusual times during the year, also serve as evidence that climate change is worsening. Due to changes in precipitation patterns, more floods are happening. In India, farmers have been growing and planting thousands of crops. One unseasonal rainfall occurred and it washed out all of their crops. The amount of rain that fell was half of the season’s rainfall in five hours! In the Western regions of U.S. air temperatures are increasing, the air is becoming drier, and droughts are occurring more often. In 2012, a severe drought hit western U.S causing 30 billion dollars in damages. Species

Using solar panels is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Instead of burning coal to generate electricity- which releases CO2 into the atmosphere-, having solar panels on your roof allows you to get energy and power from the sun. Solar panels are very efficient and a better power source. Another way we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, as well as our dependency on fossil fuels, is by increasing the proportion of electricity that is generated from wind.Wind farms don’t emit greenhouse gases as they generate electricity, whereas coal and gas stations do. The final way we can reverse these changes is by changing your diet and eating less beef. Since the demand for beef is high, more land is designated for breeding and producing more cows. Excess cow breeding, because of the demand for beef, leads to increased levels of methane released into the atmosphere. Limiting your beef consumption would result in less cows being produced, in turn less methane in the atmosphere. Using solar panels, wind power, and eating less beef can help reverse the negative effects of climate change.

In conclusion, many human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and raising cattle for beef have led to climate change. Rising sea levels, unusual floods and droughts, and massive species extinctions all are evidence for climate change. But if we come together as a community, we can reverse